Palissy Pottery on the corner of Chancery Lane and Commerce Street, Longton

photo: Stephen Morse - Oct
1983

"Palissy Pottery was
founded in 1946 in Longton, Stoke-on-Trent and made earthenwares. Prior to
this the trade name was used by A. E Jones (Longton) Ltd who began in about
1905 and traded from Palissy Pottery from 1930.
Spode and Royal Worcester merged to form a new company in July
1976 known as Royal Worcester Spode. In 1958 The Royal
Worcester Porcelain Company had bought Palissy. Palissy was closed in 1989 and the pottery was demolished in August
of that year.

Aynsley China Ltd of
Sutherland Road, Longton, Stoke-on-Trent, unconnected with Spode and
Worcester, bought the trade name of Palissy in August 1989.

Spode has very little archive
concerning Palissy which comprises only about half a dozen catalogues.

One of the patterns popular
produced by Palissy was Game Birds and a very similar
pattern is produced by Spode called Woodland"

former marks of A.E
Jones -
which were continued by the Palissy Pottery.

this style of mark
appears in a 1947 and 1960 trade directory

former marks of A.E
Jones -
which were continued by the Palissy Pottery.

this style of mark
appears in a 1960 trade directory

c.1948+

c.1948+the 1510-1590 and
figure refer to the French potter Bernard Palissy - the works
were originally named after him.

c.1950+the figure refer
to the French potter Bernard Palissy - the works were
originally named after him.
this style of mark appears in a
1960 trade directory

c.1957+this style of mark appears in a
1960 trade directory

c.1959+this style of mark appears in a
1960 trade directory

c.1958+this style of mark [with no line
above the name Palissy] appears after c.1958

"BERGEN" is the
pattern name

The
Royal Worcester Porcelain Company had bought
Palissy in 1958

Spode and Royal Worcester merged to form a new company in July
1976 known as Royal Worcester Spode.

NOTE:
Some of the Palissy marks bear the words "EST 1853" and this is also stated
in a 1960 trade directory. However it is a matter of fact that Palissy
Pottery Ltd was formed in 1946.
It was not uncommon for companies to try to find some link (no matter how
tenuous) to an early date to give them an air of age and stability. In this
case the date possibly refers to the foundation of the actual pottery works
- however Jewitt states that "These
works in Chancery Lane were erected in 1862 by Richard H. Grove..."

The 1861 census
records that Richard H Grove was "a China manufacturer employing 15
men, 16 women, 4 boys and 3 girls"
so we do know that Grove was in business before 1862.